Marijuana Policy Project

In his article on Mexico's drug cartels, Kurtz-Phelan notes that even though Colombia has received billions of dollars from the U.S. in the war against drugs, "there has been no significant decrease in drug flows out of Colombia or in the availability of cocaine or heroin in the United States — and yet Colombia is considered a success story." I am sure the next time the D.E.A. announces the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs, the newspapers will publish this "news" without putting it into context — namely, that if 10,000 tons are seized, at least that much probably got through.

I am also sure that during Prohibition, the papers published the claims by authorities about the confiscation of thousands of gallons of illicit alcohol as if it were "news," instead of a denial of reality.